Rowan Atkinson returned to slapstick comedy in June, where he faced off against his most formidable opponent yet: a bee. It's a foe far greater than any he has gone toe-to-toe with as Johnny English, and he does so with the grace of Mr. Bean (which is to say, not much at grace at all). This time, he takes the identity of a divorced father by the name of Trevor Bingley.
Each chapter raises the stakes for facepalming intensity, and each chapter has been ranked closely on IMDb for its effectiveness at deliberately embarrassing comedy. Below are their current rank and votes, though they may differ after the time of writing.
Chapter 8 - 7.0
The penultimate chapter of the season, "Chapter 8," ranks in last place and sees Trevor Bingley mostly removed from the rest of the cast and even the house to drive Cupcake to the vet.
Atkinson's best performances come from interacting with others, and coming up for creative, elaborate solutions to problems, and Trevor spends most of this chapter alone. The driving sequence is predictable, and the garage scene is less 'creative' and more an escalation of violence. In fact, its best sequence is the hook to its final, higher-rated episode, with Atkinson's expressions and the swelling music implying the war is over, only to reveal he's making a bomb. It's a chapter that has the "deliberately embarrassing comedy" down with the car's destruction, but needs to make better use of its star.
Chapter 7 - 7.0
Trevor's plan to trap the bee in a toxic combination of anti-bacterial sprays and air fresheners in "Chapter 7" also has an IMDb score of 7. On rewatch, fans may notice Christian Kolstad-Bergenbatten (Julian Rhind-Tutt) is confused as to being told that the burglars have actually been caught, and is preoccupied with texting someone while Nina (Jing Lusi) is understandably concerned about her pet Cupcake's safety.
Perhaps the low placement is due to the weak payoff of the robbers, who had been teased in a prior episode only to be arrested immediately at the start of this one. It also has the cruelest treatment of the family pet, which may have led to the mixed reception from viewers. Still, it's a fun chapter with Atkinson able to shine with an awkward conversation with the homeowners unlike "Chapter 8," and despite it all, Cupcake manages to keep their feet on the ground - mostly because Trevor threw them there.
Chapter 5 - 7.0
"Chapter 5" is easily the most musical one, featuring "Just An Illusion" by the British band Imagination from back in 1982, and the classic piano composition "Fantaisie Impromptu" by Chopin. It has a surprisingly low score for all its callbacks and musical timings.
The piano sequence is reminiscent of the award-winning episode "The Cat Concerto" from Tom & Jerry. It's not surprising that the show would pay homage to classic animated slapstick, especially when the original Tom & Jerry is still ranked highly by fans. It's incredibly enjoyable for its callbacks and hints, however, musical comedy can be divisive, and its best scene - the brilliant shower sequence - comes at the start of the show, peaking at its best gag and perhaps leaving less of an impression overall.
Chapter 4 - 7.0
The fourth chapter also shares the lowest IMDb rating of all the episodes, possibly due to potty humor being so divisive.
This features the second appearance of the bemused police officer (Tom Basden), who plays off the facial expressions Rowan Atkinson is known for in some of the chapter's memorable moments. This also isn't the first time Atkinson has played with these jokes; the original Johnny English both dealt with potty humor and the character's attempts to look competent and natural, earning some audience nostalgia for fans of English. The events are somewhat predictable leading to the bite at the pet door or the mess at the chimney, but it does lead to the laughably embarrassing sight of Trevor in the fur coat and collar to wrap it up on a positive note.
Chapter 2 - 7.0
Easily the most somber chapter in the miniseries (or at least as somber as this comedy series can go). "Chapter 2" delves into Trevor's motivations to spend time with his daughter, and his awkward relationship with his ex-wife.
The start of the chapter involves humor that may be nostalgic for fans of Mr Bean and especially the movie Bean from 1997. In the movie, one of the most famous sequences involves the character accidentally destroying a priceless work of art and coming up with creative solutions to fix it, each leading to mixed results. It's no surprise that familiar Trevor's attempts here earn it some points with audiences on IMDb. Trevor is, however, hilariously inept in his relationship with the technology, which is a far cry from how fans imagine Mr, Bean to be. His solution to replicate Nina's voice is amusingly simple, but there's little more to enjoy in it other than Atkinson's high-pitched voice.
Chapter 6 - 7.1
Narrowly defeating its proceeding chapter, "Chapter 6" of Man Vs. Bee follows Trevor as he unwittingly traps the robbers while hunting down his capable adversary.
An unsurprisingly higher placement; the chapter is seemingly a direct reference to Kerr's work on Inside No. 9, namely episode two "A Quiet Night In," which is sure to win points with British viewers who recognise it. Just like in that episode, robbers sneak into a rich modern house to the sound of piano music in order to steal a piece of art. It's placing at the midpoint is surely a result of its distinct impression, being the only chapter that features the robbers, and doesn't has Trevor featured as the weakest character in the scene. It's refreshing to see him become accustomed to the job, even if it comes crashing down soon after.
Chapter 3 - 7.1
The first chapter in which Trevor begins to strike back, "Chapter 3," earns itself a higher placement on IMDb.This is also the first time in which Trevor's elaborate yet ineffective ideas emerge, and has Rowan Atkinson play off of multiple characters including the gardener (Greg McHugh), the police officer, and the homeowners.
Trevor's aptitude for creatively poor decision-making will likely astound viewers, but as Reddit will tell you, suspension of disbelief is the sign of good comedy. Its early placement surely helps as well, as it is the first few facepalms the audience will experience before becoming accustomed to Trevor's ineptitude. There are also multiple pay-offs to jokes like the phone freezing and Cupcake's peanut-butter allergies, keeping its toe-clenching tension high.
Chapter 1 - 7.2
One of the highest-rated chapters of them all is the first and the longest chapter, hitting a nineteen-minute runtime compared to the ten minutes in most others.
What is surprising is that the series opens in media res, showing the ridiculous outcomes to look forward to, and setting up the question of how Trevor will get there. Unfortunately, the court case regarding the absurd circumstances doesn't last long being that it is open and shut - unlikely to have been salvaged even with She-Hulk's legal advice. Regardless, "Chapter 1" is a great set-up for all the priceless items, and difficult technology for Trevor Bingley will soon have to struggle with, and offers a quick laugh for audiences to enjoy before everything kicks off. It's a strong first impression for the show that sticks around to the end.
Chapter 9 - 7.4
The season's final episode, "Chapter 9," is also the highest-rated of them all. The return to the robbers wraps up the events of "Chapter 6," concluding its foreshadowing of Christian's obsessions with his expensive items and the "priceless" pieces of forgery in his house.
The final abuse of Cupcake is also the funniest for being the most elaborate, but where this chapter likely gets its love is how all its background plots culminate. Trevor is likable, but for the majority of the chapters, the series makes you question how Trevor could be redeemed after his outlandish behavior. The finale accomplishes this by showing him at his lowest, making Christian so detestable in wanting so much money from a poor man, and finally showing the relevance of its subplots with the art pieces and robbers. Even though the strongest individual moments are its comedy, the series' best moment comes at the satisfying conclusion of Trevor's arc.